Rewoven - Re-imagining textile waste through recycling

Business Case

Last updated: Mar 23, 2023

Summary

Rewoven is a company collecting off-cut fabrics and textile wastes and repurposes it into 100% recycled fabric to sell across the stores of South Africa. They believe that ethical fashion can assist in addressing issues of employment and poverty in the fashion industry, and strongly put an emphasis on the spirit of community : umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu.

Problem

Not only does textile industry have great environmental issues, but also creates social gaps and problems are closely linked to it like poverty, unemployment and inequalities. By redesigning products and business models, Rewoven decided to fight against these issues.

Solution

Textile recycling is not only a necessary sustainable practice that the clothing industry needs to adopt to mitigate its impacts on the environment, but it is also a very labour-intensive process that can be an avenue for job creation in South Africa.

Outcome

Rewoven is a Cape Town based innovation project that is currently in the commercial pilot phase. It was founded by three youthful innovators - Tshepo Bhengu, Esethu Cenga and Lonwabo Mgoduso in 2018. Through their passion for sustainability and well-being; creating an impact; and their collective entrepreneurial mindset, Rewoven was born. They recycle off-cut fabric, end of roll fabric, unsold inventory, clothing rejects and corporate branded uniforms and produce fabric for dog beds, disaster relief blanket, insulation material, acrylic jersey and pillow filling material.

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Date added: Aug 31, 2022

Last updated: Mar 23, 2023

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